Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication Dean Prof. Dr. Nazife Güngör was a guest at the Turkic World and Communities Week Special Program, organized by the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education. Making evaluations on the topic of “Nevruz in Turkish Culture from Past to Present,” Güngör said; “We live within this nature. In this sense, March 21st has a beautiful symbolic value to remember nature and remind us of our love for nature, even if it's just once a year.”
“Nevruz is an important value of traditional Turkish culture”
Referring to the meaning of Nevruz and why it is celebrated, Güngör said; “Nevruz is one of the beautiful traditions of the Turkic world and Turkish culture. There are many different narratives regarding Nevruz. It seems like a common value, a common cultural tradition of the Asian continent. It exists among the ancient Turks, the Rums, and the Göktürks. In fact, Nevruz is celebrated in some way almost everywhere in Central Asia and Asia where Turks have set foot. Nevruz is a very important symbolic value of traditional Turkish culture. It has been referred to by different names in different countries, but the common point is that Nevruz celebrations have always been very enthusiastic since ancient times. They celebrated the arrival of spring, the beginning of a new era, the greenery, the blossoming of the earth, and the shining of the sun. Of course, the ancient Turks and Asians were not as intertwined with nature as we are today. They were very much a part of nature. Their cultural traditions and beliefs were deeply intertwined with nature. We live within this nature. Therefore, in this sense, March 21st has a beautiful symbolic value to remember nature and remind us of our love for nature, even if it's just once a year.”
“You are both happy and celebrating spring”
Referring to Nevruz rituals, Güngör also said; “Dances, prayers, burying certain things in certain places, gathering various flowers, gifts, sacrifices... There are so many rituals. Sacrifices are made and vows are offered because spring is coming. Some sacred places are visited, for example. Some communities celebrate in cemeteries, inviting those who passed away in the past into this celebration. It's actually a wonderful thing. As spring revives and brings new vitality to life, they also salute those who have passed away. They send prayers and make vows to them as well. It's an extraordinary tradition and a form of socialization. One must also look at its moral aspect. It provides a tremendous sense of unity for communities to share that cultural sharing, togetherness, energy, and happiness. The greatest characteristic of cultural rituals is to help societies continue to live together. You are both happy and celebrating spring.”
“The most important thing that binds societies together is culture”
Evaluating Nevruz from the perspective of the Turkic world, Güngör said; “Nevruz is a very important cultural solidarity. The most important thing that binds societies together is culture. Because it is a sharing of common past, common history, and common values. Reminding each other in this sense is very important. The current process the world is unfortunately going through is a tense one with wars and conflicts. In such a tense world, remembering our roots, and saluting our kin to a certain extent on this occasion, is not a bad thing at all. Nevruz is celebrated on March 21st in the region extending all the way to Central Asia. This is a very beautiful thing. It is not only celebrated in the Republic of Turkey. It is also celebrated in the Far East and a large part of Asia. Therefore, it can connect societies, but we have experienced some disconnections. For a while, it was not celebrated institutionally. There was only a certain stir among the people in Anatolia. Now, efforts are being made to spread it a bit more nationwide.”